Bucks to Be Extra-Cautious With Recovering Jabari Parker

The Milwaukee Bucks expect Jabari Parker to take part in the team’s training camp starting next week, but they will treat the No.2 pick in the 2014 NBA Draft with extreme care.

Bucks GM John Hammond won’t put a timeline on Parker’s recovery—a gruesome knee injury derailed the 20-year-old’s rookie season after just 25 games—but says the organization will take a very cautious approach with the 6-foot-8 forward.

Parker has been working out for weeks at the team facility in St. Francis.

Per the Journal Sentinel:

“We’ve never had a target date, per se,” Hammond said at the River Club of Mequon, site of the team’s event to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Wisconsin. “We’ve always said he’s making progress. […] Wherever he’s at, if we think he can play 30 minutes, we’ll probably have him play 15. Wherever it might be, I think we’re always going to be cautious with him.”

Bucks coach Jason Kidd said Parker has been meeting individual goals in the recovery process. […] “He looks extremely good,” Kidd said. “His body has changed and his spirits are extremely high right now, being on the court. We’ll see how it goes before training camp to see if he’s able to do things. We’re not going to rush him back. This is a bigger picture. We would love to have him on the floor as much as possible. Hopefully we get him on the floor in training camp and go from there.”

Bucks forward Khris Middleton has seen Parker’s daily routine as the former Duke player has built strength since undergoing surgery in January. […] “He’s put in all the work,” Middleton said. “He definitely wants to be one of the greatest out there. His work ethic is unbelievable right now.”